I think I remember my first swimbait fish. I do know there is no picture of it.

Everyone else is giving their back story so why not me }(

I remember when the Castaic Hardbait Trout came out. I found a "actual size" picture in I believe In-Fisherman. The bait went across the 2 pages and I think had a $50 price tag. I still remember thinking WTF.

Pretty sure the first swimbait I ever threw was a 7 inch Arbogast made AC plug. Only ever got one hit on it and I know it was a striper never caught it though. Still have that bait. Seemed HUGE then. Seems so tiny now.

First on a swimbait came on a 5 inch Optimum. Was throwing off a rocky area next to a flat and as I was pulling the bait out of the water the fish exploded behind it. I just remember seeing that open mouth coming out of the water. Somehow it got stuck on the jig hook on top. Went about 3 pounds. This was in the late 90's.

My first 10+ on a swimbait I can credit to this site. I had read about Rob's 15+ bass taken on a Slammer at San Pablo and bought my first MS Slammer at the San Mateo ISE show in 2002. On Feb 18, 2002 at 8:30 in the morning I was throwing the 9 inch Slammer on an 8 foot flipping stick with a Curado 200 with I believe 17lb line when the toilet flushed. It was my third trip out with the Slammer and my first hit. I started shaking almost immediately. The fish came in with out much of a fight. When I first got it in the boat I had no clue how much it weighed since my biggest to that point was 8 and change. The Berkley digital scale I put it on weighed it at 17.3 lbs.

http://www.calfishing.com/dc/user_files/232.jpg

Still by far my biggest largemouth bass. Hell it's still bigger than my PB striper which is 16lb 6 ounces.

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Pretending to be a swimbait fisherman since 2001.